Yesterday at 5 pm (dark) I went to get a CD player for the kid...2 minutes into the run and...

White sky...black sky...sonic waves rattling my riding, no bull, I'm clenching the bars.
The lightening was -to me, a white ball 4 times the size of the sun, flash 2/3 of my peripheral vision.

As I was cresting the hill, an older fellow was standing in the road staring upwards.
-asked me if it was an explosion, I said no.
I told him I had been looking in the direction and it was skyward.

As I continued riding it started raining...big fat slush drops.
And then it poured.

I live in a sub-tropical rainforest area ..this was a big downpour.
In 2 minutes the road I was riding was mostly a complete sheet of water.
Car drivers couldn't see at all out the side windows, partial front.
Had to ride invisible ninja style.

Anyway, got downtown..walked into the store like a diver without a wet suit and got out.
A sweet young lady did a double take as I was walking the ride and asked if I had been cycling in the downpour (obvious) and I told her of the lightening. She had phoned family from work after hearing the thunder downtown indoors..scared!


Saw video of the 'strike'.
Big flash then little strikes. I think it was a sheet lightening? But REALLY big and really low, then bolts behind.
Never seen anything like it.

When I got home I dumped my clothes in the bathtub.
As wet as when the washer breaks before the spin cycle.

I got puddled! -I also saw the brightest thing ever at night EVER!
I think some people thought something like maybe a military ship exploding at the dockyard.
My friend about 25 miles away said the thunder was about 7 seconds long. Mine 3.

I kinda liked it as an experience, but man...what a ride.
Got any freak weather stories?

I've ridden small hail, not the 'sky is falling' stuff.
Saw it in Banff once.
Filled the roads like snow (no snow @ that time of year).

Helmet be nice, and the roads be slippery.

That is heard core freaky, my friend!

With his magic brain camera?

Don't have any. The vid I saw was on T.V.

My father was trout fishing once in Wisconsin. Rain was moving in, but he did not hear any thunder, so he kept fishing. While he watching his line, lightning hit a tree on the river bank quite close to him. He was momentarily blinded and his ears rang for at least a day. The event left him a changed person - there was a noticeable change in his personality after that. He's lucky he did not get killed from that.

You are, too, Jeff. Congratulations - must be something big in store for you yet!!